The present invention relates to a toner bottle, and an image formation apparatus provided with the same.
Conventionally, there is a known image formation apparatus in which a toner cartridge such as a toner bottle is detachably installed in a main body of the image formation apparatus, and toner is supplied from the toner bottle to a developing device of a process cartridge.
In an image formation apparatus shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2008-52033, in order to discharge toner from a toner bottle so as to supply a fixed amount of the toner to a developing device of a process cartridge, there is a need for providing a sub-hopper between the toner bottle and the process cartridge. However, with such a structure, there are problems that size of the apparatus is increased, and cost is also increased.
In a toner supply apparatus shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-186844, a fixed amount supply mechanism is provided on the side of a main body of an image formation apparatus, and a discharge port of a toner bottle is connected to the fixed amount supply mechanism, so that the toner bottle is installed in the main body of the image formation apparatus. The toner bottle is provided with a spiral shape stirring and feeding member inside, and the discharge port is opened. Thus, when the toner bottle is removed from the toner supply apparatus with the discharge port directed downward, there is a problem that the toner is spilled out. Therefore, there is a need for devising ways to attach and detach the toner bottle in a state that the discharge port of the toner bottle is directed upward on the side of the main body of the image formation apparatus, and size of the mechanism is increased.
In a developer accommodating container shown in Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-102758, an opened portion is formed in an outer peripheral portion on the side of an end of a cylinder body in which toner is accommodated, a measurement chamber of a holder provided with the measurement chamber having fixed volume is arranged on the outer side in the radial direction of the cylinder body of the opened portion, and the holder is attached so as to cover the side of the end of the cylinder body. The measurement chamber has an opening on the rear side in the rotation direction of the cylinder body, and a valve body is provided in the opening. In addition to the opening part of the cylinder body, the valve body further protrudes to the outer side in the shaft direction of the cylinder body from an end surface of the cylinder body. The valve body is periodically opened in accordance with rotation of the cylinder body by an engagement portion to be engaged with a protruding part of the valve body provided in the developer accommodating container.